BridgePointe Sermons

The religious leaders had established a system to deal with the external problems of sin. But that's not really where sin lives. Jesus came to turn the religious system inside out and deal with sin where it starts--in the heart. We must acknowledge the root of sin within us so that we will see Jesus as the only real solution. Reflection Questions: Where do you see an impure heart or sinful decisio...

Jesus feeds a crowd and walks on water. He continues to baffle people, even the ones closest to Him. And yet, in these passages Jesus turns His attention to the disciples to help them understand that He is empowering them to do His work. As Jesus brings His disciples into His work, we can see how we are a part of the continuing work of bringing His Kingdom to those around us. Reflection Questions:...

In the two scenes in this passage of Scripture, Jesus demonstrates authority over the forces of nature (wind and waves) and the forces of evil. These miracles expand the scope of Jesus' authority, leaving the witnesses of them in reverent fear. No one else has authority like this. And authority like this would be terrible, unless it's possessed by someone perfectly good and loving.

Jesus taught in parables to explain the nature of His Kingdom. In this set of parables, He focuses on the surprising way that His Kingdom starts humble and small (in the dirt) and grows to be great.

The Jews had countless rules to ensure that no work was done on the Sabbath. The problem was that it was work to keep all the rules and they never experienced rest. Jesus came with authority over every moment and all of life. And He is the one who gives true rest to all who come to Him.

As enthusiasm about Jesus begins to build, He makes a startling claim--to have the authority to forgive sin. This is nothing less than a claim to be God. Jesus proves this authority by giving a lame man the ability to walk. The following story shows just how far the forgiveness of Jesus goes--he invites a tax collector to become His disciple.

Mark emphasizes the miracles of Jesus throughout his account. Here, he provides a series of miracles that show the authority of Jesus and give a glimpse of His Kingdom coming to earth. The challenge for us is to also be people who bring His Kingdom to earth in all it's diverse beauty and power.

Jesus calls his disciples to follow Him. This is an invitation that would have been familiar to any person in that day. It meant to attach themselves to Jesus, to become like Him, to go where He goes and do what He does. It's the same invitation He gives today... and it requires us to let go and leave behind all else.

In Mark's opening words, he makes a bold claim about Jesus--he is the Son of God, the Messiah we've been expecting. This claim (1:1) is followed by three witnesses who affirm it--the testimony of John the Baptist, God's announcement at the baptism of Jesus, and Jesus' own claim to be the one who ushers in the Kingdom of God.

Smaller gatherings of believers have always complimented the larger weekly worship gathering. Together, they serve unique purposes that help believers grow as disciples. This sermon looks at the "relational rhythms" of Jesus and explains how we can move toward these same rhythms.

There are obstacles that keep our relationships from growing and they've been around ever since sin entered the world. The good news is that Jesus came to remove sin and restore our relationships. When we respond to sin in the right way , our relationships will grow.

We are made in the image of God to live and thrive in relationships. In this opening message of the series, we look at how we are uniquely created by a relational God for relationships. Despite the current of culture moving us away from relationships, the church should be characterized by close relationships. ******************** New Testament relational passages: Romans 12:1-6 1 Corinthians 12-13...

In order to be effective in the Gospel work, we must receive and rely on the power of the Spirit. Paul moves onto Ephesus to do ministry there. He prays for some disciples who had not yet received the Spirit. By the power of the Spirit, Paul did extraordinary miracles. Some tried to replicate that power, but failed miserably. This resulted in deep respect for the Spirit and openness to the Gospel....

God knows there are people close to you who will receive the Gospel if you share it with them. Ministry in Corinth wasn't easy (Paul's letters show just how challenging of a place it was). God speaks to Paul to assure him that there are more in the city who God has already claimed as His. Paul just needs to remain there and carry out the work. There are people here who belong to God but need the G...

We can share the Gospel by showing that Jesus is what people are searching for. Paul visits the city of Athens, pays attention to what is happening there, and gains a hearing among the philosophers. They ask him to speak, and he uses their culture and religion to reveal the truth about Jesus. Some would not accept the resurrection, but others believed and became disciples!

In the work of the Gospel, our part is to be faithful and God's part is to make it fruitful. Paul and his fellow missionaries travel to the cities of Thessalonica and Berea, with mixed results. Some are open to the Gospel while others oppose it. This is true throughout all of Acts, even for the most gifted apostles. They cannot do more than their part-which is to make Jesus known.

The Holy Spirit shows us where we should go with the Gospel. This passage picks up halfway through Paul's second missionary trip and shows that God had a bigger plan for the Gospel, more people to reach, and He was uniquely architecting it’s spread through the Spirit. We also see how the Spirit was at work on both sides, prompting those who were taking the good news and preparing the hearts of tho...

The message of the Gospel is that we can have a relationship with God through faith in Jesus alone. Is Jesus the only way to get into the Kingdom? What stipulations, complexities and other things have we added to the good news of Jesus? After Gentiles of Antioch became Christians, some wanted to force them to also become Jews. This demanded people to subscribe to Jewish religion in addition to a C...

Sharing the Gospel will result in pain and requires perseverance. As Paul and Barnabas continue travelling and preaching the good news they meet both receptive hearts and great opposition. In this message we will look at how the kingdom of Jesus will advance in the face of opposition. It will be costly to us personally and following the example of the apostles, we should persevere in the face of o...

The message of the Gospel challenges us to change (what we believe, how we find identity, where we get security) Paul sets off on his first missionary journey to make known the truth of Jesus. In Antioch, Paul first presents the good news of Jesus. In this message we look at what the Gospel is, where it comes from, and how it forces us to make a decision. Reflection questions: Why is it Good News...

The work of the Gospel cannot be stopped. In the opening message of the series, we look at the major themes of the book of Acts, what the good news of Jesus is and how it spreads. Reflection Questions: - Which theme from Acts am I most prone to forget? - Who is close enough to me to experience the Good News through me?

The dining room represents where relationships are formed. Jesus should influence all our relationships. Ephesians 5 gives a template for surrendering to Jesus in those relationships. We also ought to intentionally build relationships within the church and with the lost, showing hospitality and kindness for Jesus. Jesus wants His people to form deep relationships within the church and in the world...

The attic is off limits. Things stay hidden there. Money is often the part of our lives we keep people, and Jesus, out of. But Jesus cares a great deal about our money and He intends to change how we view and use it. (See Matthew 6 and other texts) In the attic, we deal with the thing we often don’t want to give over to Jesus—finances. Money can be the cause of sin or the catalyst for good. Jesus...

The office represents where and how we work. Work makes up so much of our life and it can become a place of compromise. This message should address working for God with all our heart (Col. 3:17), having a healthy rhythm or rest, and seeing work as our mission field. We spend much of our lives working and so much of that time wishing we weren’t. Work has always been part of the human existence. It...